NHI Conference re-states the Main Objective – Residents’ Care

NHI Conference re-states the Main Objective – Residents’ Care

It was very interesting to see the ‘industry’ that now is the Nursing Home sector, at the recent NHI Conference in Dublin. It is great to see that there are so many quality-conscious and cost-competitive suppliers, from Catering to Finance, from Housekeeping to Physiotherapy, from Floor Coverings to Garden Landscaping – all eager to demonstrate their consideration of the Nursing Home specifics. The talk among the tea and coffee crowds though was of a more substantive nature – how do we continue our business against a backdrop of increased costs, staff shortages and regulation. Money is a unifying factor between exhibitors and attendees – the difference though is that the attendees are not looking at cost-effectiveness as the end measurable goal, that is just the means by which the real objective can be delivered – how do we continue to take care of our Residents in the most clinically assured, socially engaged and dignified way. Even the Speakers, provocative and informative as they were, can only provide ideas and stir up priorities, but they can’t provide the real context of making sure that Care is not Compromised by Cost. To that extent, it is clear that a lot of Nursing Home Operators are left to their own devices – to balance the books, to anticipate the regulator, to invest as well as to sustain, all to make sure that their Residents are always the top priority. We at Broadmeadow have developed our Nursing Home Management methodology to help Nursing Home Operators to feel that they are not alone – that they can avail of a confidential, empathetic service that can provide a framework that helps to achieve the balance of day to day people minding and Management. It is great that we have focused suppliers to our sector that that also appreciate this is not just about ‘getting the sale’, but also about the real application of their product or service – how will this affect the quality of life for our Residents.